Macaques spotted having fun on landslide cover at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Like a slide.

Jean Chien Tay | November 06, 2021, 04:52 PM

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On the evening of Oct. 27, several long-tailed macaques were spotted exploring and sliding around a landslide cover at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

In a video shared by John Seaton Callahan in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group, nine macaques, one of which appeared visibly smaller in size, can be seen "having fun" on the covered slope.

The smaller macaque appeared to be grabbing onto a vine, as if playing a game of tug-of-war with it, and swinging itself around in the beginning of the video.

Then, perhaps out of curiosity or concern for the smaller macaque, five other macaques joined in the fun, eventually pulling the youngling off the vine.

Thereafter, three other macaques appeared to take interest in the landslide cover, and began climbing up the slope and sliding down on the slippery cover.

Macaques "almost always around"

According to Callahan, he spotted the macaques when he was on the walking track to Dairy Farm Quarry.

He added that there was a landslide next to the walking track several weeks ago, and he decided to check out the walking track when he heard that it had reopened.

Callahan believes that the macaques were sliding on the cover for the fun of it, and said they were "almost always around" the area, eating fruit and grooming one another.

Commenter: "looks shiok"

A commenter pointed out that the green landslide could act as a "green screen", and the scene of the macaques playing could be adapted into other footages.

Another netizen said it "looks shiok" and encouraged the hiker who took the video to "join in the fun" with the nine macaques.

Referring to the community cat that somehow learned how to use a playground slide, a fellow group member joked that the macaques may have gotten inspiration from watching the cat.

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Top image via John Seaton Callahan & @dawnneo_sg/Instagram